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High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL)

The AFWERX HSVTOL (High-Speed Vertical and Take-Off Landing) Concept Challenge competition, which began in April 2021, is in partnership with United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is seeking design ideas for state-of-the-art high-speed vertical take-off and landing (HSVTOL) concepts. All concepts submitted needed to support four critical mission profiles that demand agile mobility:

• Infiltration and exfiltration of Special Operations Forces (SOF) and equipment
• Personnel recovery (PR)
• Aeromedical evacuation (AE)
• Tactical mobility (TM)

Established in 2017 by former Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, AFWERX is an innovative arm of the Department of the Air Force supporting both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. Powered by the Air Force research laboratory, AFWERX supports the transition of agile, affordable, and accelerated capabilities by teaming innovative solution providers with Airmen and Guardian talent.

AFWERX Challenge "is a high-quality market research program. We use design thinking workshops, crowdsourcing, collaboration showcase event and innovative contracting pathways to case a wide net for industry and academic innovators to apply their latest technologies and solutions to government problems and accelerate the path from idea to deployed solution.... Through design thinking workshops, interactive networking and webinars, transparent crowdsourcing, and open showcases, the AFWERX Challenge approach to solving mission-critical problems is unparalleled and supports different streamlined contracting methods."

“The HSVTOL Concept Challenge has surfaced an impressive range and caliber of solutions to help us understand how to build a new class of air vehicles,” said Dr. Reid Melville, Chief Innovation Officer, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Transformational Capabilities Office. “We believe the organizations selected to receive market research investments at this stage have the potential to deliver truly groundbreaking innovation.”

Bell Textron HSVTOL

Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced August 2, 2021 the unveiling of design concepts for new aircraft systems for military applications which would use Bell's High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) technology as the company continues its innovation of next generation vertical lift aircraft. HSVTOL technology blends the hover capability of a helicopter with the speed, range and survivability features of a fighter aircraft. The designs are presented as small, medium, and large designs, with the smallest looking like an unmanned aircraft and each sporting different intake and exhaust configurations. Each aircraft features wingtip rotors that provide vertical lift and fold away in flight.

“Bell’s HSVTOL technology is a step change improvement in rotorcraft capabilities,” said Jason Hurst, vice president, Innovation. “Our technology investments have reduced risk and prepared us for rapid development of HSVTOL in a digital engineering environment, leveraging experience from a robust past of technology exploration and close partnerships with the Department of Defense and Research Laboratories.”

Bell’s HSVTOL design concepts include the following features:

• Low downwash hover capability
• Jet-like cruise speeds over 400 kts
• True runway independence and hover endurance
• Scalability to the range of missions from unmanned personnel recovery to tactical mobility
• Aircraft gross weights range from 4,000 lbs. to over 100,000 lbs.

Bell’s HSVTOL capability is critical to future mission needs offering a range of aircraft systems with enhanced runway independence, aircraft survivability, mission flexibility and enhanced performance over legacy platforms. With the convergence of tiltrotor aircraft capabilities, digital flight control advancements and emerging propulsion technologies, Bell is primed to evolve HSVTOL technology for modern military missions to serve the next generation of warfighters.

Bell has explored high-speed vertical lift aircraft technology for more than 85 years, pioneering innovative VTOL configurations like the X-14, X-22, XV-3 and XV-15 for NASA, the U.S Army and U.S. Air Force. The lessons learned from the XV-3 and XV-15 supported the development of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, an invaluable platform that changed the way the U.S. military conducts amphibious assault, long range infiltration and exfiltration and resupply with a cruise speed and range twice that of helicopters it replaced.

According to Forbes, "A centerline turbofan (intakes in the renderings may indicate twin engines) would effectively make these aircraft 'tri-jets' since it would join the turboshaft engines at each wingtip. This complex arrangement would need to enable the HSVTOL to achieve 400 knots in jet mode (Bell's aim) at the 30,000-foot altitude that Nissen [Jeff Nissen, program manager for Bell Flight's HSVTOL digital design efforts] hints it will cruise at."

An article in The Drive reports that "Future 'convertible engines' could eventually provide HSVTOL designs with a powerplant that can switch between turboshaft and turbofan modes, eliminating the need for separate lift and cruise engines," The Drive article speculates. "With no air intakes visible on the wingtip nacelles, this could also suggest some form of hybrid-electric propulsion for the rotors, as well, which would use the main jet powerplant to provide gobs of electrical power to drive the rotors during terminal flight modes."

Valkyrie Systems Aerospace (VSA) HSVTOL

AFWERX identified Valkyrie Systems Aerospace (VSA), a cutting-edge developer of manned/unmanned aerial platforms, was selected 09 December 2021 as one of the companies selected to move forward in the AFWERX HSVTOL (High-Speed Vertical and Take-Off Landing) Concept Challenge. “We are so proud to be selected to move forward in this AFWERX HSVTOL challenge. Being selected only solidifies our belief in the HoverJet design and capabilities of our aircraft. Whether military or commercial applications, VSA continues to push the envelope in terms of HSVTOL vehicles” said Glenn Dawson, Valkyrie Systems Aerospace founder/CEO.

Valkyrie’s advanced, state-of-the-art command and remote flight control system supports manned and unmanned air, land, and sea surface mission requirements for all military branches as well as domestic federal partners. VSA Photo

Steve Tafoya, Valkyrie Systems Aerospace managing partner, summed up the following steps, “In this next phase, we are looking to develop our solution and concept further to provide the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) as well as the U.S. Air Force, the research necessary towards delivering a conceptual design that fits their needs and satisfies the competition.”

“There are so many positives to working with AFWERX as well as United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM),” said Dawson. “Whether it is collaborating to create products that can positively impact our service people by helping to create a more resilient and mission-ready military force or the opportunity for VSA to receive funding for concept development as well as the potential to create business partnerships with the Air Force or other U.S. Government agencies, we’re grateful for the opportunity to move forward in this competition.”

VSA’s HoverJets, unmanned/optional piloted aircraft, support multiple global missions that include multi- domain operations resupply missions, civilian and battlefield medical evacuation, extraction of personnel and equipment, real-time situational awareness and threat detection, re-establishment of downed communications systems, firefighting and much more.

Jaunt Air Mobility MAV 55 HSVTOL Slowed Rotor Compound (SRC)

Jaunt Air Mobility was selected from 218 competitors to compete in the AFWERX High Speed Vertical Take-off and Landing (HSVTOL) Concept Challenge, narrowed to 35 challengers. The HSVTOL Concept Challenge partnership is with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The MAV55 Multi-Mission Air Vehicle brings the speed and capabilities of a fixed-wing aircraft combined with Jaunt’s highly efficient and patented slowed rotor compound (SRC) technology.

The USAF and USSOCOM are seeking to leverage new and innovative technologies. “Having worked within USSOCOM in Rotary Wing Special Operation Forces during my military service, our team fully understands the mission requirements of infiltration and exfiltration, personnel recovery, aeromedical evacuation, and tactical mobility, at jet-like speeds. These are the core fundamentals we applied in designing the MAV55. Still, we’ve also added the elements of lower acoustic signatures and minimal downwash in hover operations,” stated Jesse Crispino, Chief Operations Officer for Jaunt Air Mobility.

Jaunt Air Mobility SRC enabling technologies bring advanced capabilities to the military utilizing a single main rotor for hover, takeoff, and landing, and, high aspect ratio, small area wings for flight once aloft. SRC is a suite of technologies that dramatically slows the rotor as the forward airspeed increases and the wings take on the lift reducing drag, noise, and associated vibration. The configuration produces a lift to drag ratio 5x better than a helicopter, as demonstrated during over 300 flight test hours.

SRC isn’t a new concept, but the design complexities were cost and weight-prohibitive when integrated into a hovering solution until electrification and hybridization. Jaunt teamed with VerdeGo Aero for this proposal to utilize a version of their proprietary electric/hybrid drive system already in development and nearing production on a different scale. VerdeGo, as a mission-enabling system, was also one of the companies down-selected by the Air Force to the round of 35.

Earlier this year, Jaunt completed three Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contracts for the Agility Prime Office of AFWERX via contracts through the Air Force Research Laboratory. These contracts covered Extreme Fast Charging (XFC), Advanced Manufacturing of Thermoplastics, and Acoustics. Jaunt worked with BAE Systems and Binghamton University to assist in designing a large-scale fast-charging system nearly twice as efficient as current chargers on the market today. Working with Qarbon Aerospace and Georgia Tech, Jaunt validated and quantified the benefits of using thermoplastics for large-scale structures in the manufacturing process of this new aviation segment. Lastly, with Penn State and Continuum Dynamics Inc., Jaunt validated the Journey aircraft acoustic profile. Crispino noted, “Our acoustics work confirmed our eVTOL aircraft will operate at the lowest possible noise levels capable with today’s technology and be imperceivable when flying overhead.”

“The High Speed AFWERX Concept Challenge and STTRs allow companies like Jaunt to work in partnership with the military to develop the next generation of aviation technology,” said Martin Peryea, CEO of Jaunt Air Mobility. Jaunt is currently developing an all-electric VTOL for the Urban Air Mobility market based on the same SRC technologies.

Jaunt Air Mobility announced 08 February 2022 advancing to the next phase of the AFWERX High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) Concept Challenge, a crowdsourcing effort for the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The company is one of 11 companies from more than 200 challenge entrants selected to receive market research investments aimed at advancing solutions that enable optimal agility in austere environments.

The contract is to develop two conceptual designs with the initial aircraft proposal for the Multi-Mission Air Vehicle (MAV 55), which brings the speed and capabilities of a fixed-wing aircraft combined with VTOL through Jaunt’s highly efficient patented SRC technologies. Benefits of these unique technologies also include minimal aircraft downwash for operations where actual aircraft landing is prohibitive and overall acoustic signature reductions.

Jaunt’s solution meets the broader HSVTOL conceptual framework that increases the trade space of speed, range, survivability, payload, size, and flexibility to carry out USAF and USSOCOM missions across the full spectrum of conflict and political scenarios. It emerged as a top-tier entrant in the HSVTOL Concept Challenge by meeting or exceeding rigorous evaluation criteria focused on technical merit, reliability, scalability, and other factors.

Transcend Air Corporation HSVTOL V-500 Catamount

Transcend Air Corporation announced 01 February 2022 advancing to the next phase of the AFWERX High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) Concept Challenge, a crowdsourcing effort for the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The company is one of 11 companies from more than 200 challenge entrants selected to receive market research investments aimed at advancing solutions that enable optimal agility in austere environments. “High speed, VTOL, long range, and low operating costs are the four key drivers for our civil business model,” noted Transcend COO Peter Schmidt. “Those are the exact attributes USAF and USSOCOM need to rapidly field new runway-independent capabilities to meet evolving threats.” Transcend has proposed a militarized derivative of its $3.5 million Vy 400 civil aircraft. The V-500 Catamount will be a Vy 400 upgraded with the GE T901 turboshaft engine and higher-speed props, resulting in a 500 mph / 435 kt / 805 kph cruise speed and a 720 mile / 625 nm / 1,157 km combat radius. The Catamount will take just 15 minutes to dash from a tanker to a personnel recovery point 100 nm away, which could increase aircrew recovery rates by up to 70%. Transcend’s solution is envisioned as part of a broader HSVTOL conceptual framework that increases the trade space of speed, range, survivability, payload, size, and flexibility to carry out USAF and USSOCOM missions across the full spectrum of conflict and political scenarios. It emerged as a top-tier entrant in the HSVTOL Concept Challenge by meeting or exceeding rigorous evaluation criteria focused on technical merit, reliability, scalability, and other factors.